Travels in and near NJ in quest of nature's beauty

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scattering ashes

Come with us, far from politics and disasters and overweening technology — back to timeless New Mexico, and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Abiquiu refuge. She carried this ‘rack’ of antlers home from a desert walk. Devoted helpers mounted it. No more appropriate welcome to her home and studio exists than the abstract simplicity of this doorway, and its iconic crest.

Georgia’s Door, Home and Studio, Abiquiu, New Mexico

Georgia’s Favorite Tree

Essential Ladders to Tend Adobe Rooftops

Magnificent Guide, Barbara, and Georgia’s Garden, being restored by local students

Georgia’s Original Trees and Restored Garden, flood-irrigated once each week

Janet Black, Jeanette Hooban and I, –as July was born-, traveled to New Mexico on a Georgia O’Keeffe Quest. Firstly, in Santa Fe. Then to her home and studio in Abiquiu, near Taos; then to Ghost Ranch, where she first leased, then owned a house in the Southwest.

I remain speechless before the magnitude of beauty we encountered at every turn, every moment bringing cataclysmic changes in clouds, shadows and drama.

We are more inspired than ever by the lofty talents of this artist – so abstract and unique so young (in 1915, 16, etc.!), like no one else anywhere ever. Thiw woman cannot be described nor encompassed. Georgia belonging to no ‘school’, painted from within.

As you see, this phenomenal artist was inspired by what she claimed as her everyday surroundings. Her sites and sights would overwhelm ordinary mortals. But Georgia immortalized mountain majesty, without descending, even momentarily, into the trite or the trivial.

We learned nothing of her literary influences. But Georgia lived her life on EVERY level, according to the key lines of Hamlet: “… and this, above all… to thine own self be true…”

Janet, Jeanette and I walked very slowly away from the Georgia-sites. We now have a new yardstick for life: “What would Georgia do?”

GHOST RANCH GATE – Georgia O’Keefe’s First Southwest Homeland

GHOST RANCH SKULL — GATE — NOTE BULLET HOLES — This is the West!

GHOST RANCH GATE, RANCH SIDE

GHOST RANCH WAGON AND SOUTHWEST’S CLOUDS

GHOST RANCH WAGON, COTTONWOOD AND GEORGIA O’KEEFFE MOUNTAINS

GHOST RANCH CABIN

GHOST RANCH ACEQUIA — TO BRING WATER FROM RIO GRANDE

GHOST RANCH FLAGS AND CLOUDS

GEORGIA ROCKS NEAR GHOST RANCH

GEORGIA’S RIDE FROM GHOST RANCH HOME TO ABIQUIU AND BACK

THE CLOUD-BUILDER

We felt as though we could walk across the Rio Grande (Grand-ee) – which Janet re-named ‘The Rio Petito’.